Steering mechanisms for toy vehicles



Dec. 13, 1966 Y A. R. MILLS 3,290,818

STEERING MECHANISMSFOR TOY VEHICLES Filed June 17 1964 T m ,..n"" lUnited States Patent Ofiice I 3 90 ,818 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 3,290,818I STEERING MECHANISMS FOR TOY VEHICLES Aubrey Robert Mills, London,England, assignor to Die Casting Machine Tools Limited, London, England,a British company Filed June 17, 1964, Ser. No. 375,814 Claims priority,applicatgriggeat Britain, Jan. 2, 1964,

3 Claims. (Cl. 46-221) This invention relates to steering mechanisms fortoy vehicles.

Toy vehicles are often provided with steerable wheels in order torepresent their prototypes more realistically. Hitherto, steeringmechanisms for toy vehicles have comprised a number of small components,usually made of metal, which must be individually manufactured and thenassembled together. The present invention provides a simpler and moreconveniently manufactured steering mechanism.

According to this invention, a steering mechanism for a toy vehiclecomprises a member integrally moulded of resilient material having atleast one thicker section portion constituting an axle and at least onethicker section portion forming a link, the thicker section portionsbeing joined by thin webs of said resilient material to form hingedconnections between said thicker section portions and means for movingsaid link to adjust the alignment of said axle by bending of the web orwebs. This construction enables the member to be moulded in one piecewhile allowing the thicker section portions to transmit movement fromone point to another. The thicker section portions may be arranged toform a parallel motion linkage, preferably a parallelogram linkage,having adjusting means and axle means integral with different thickersection portions. The parallel motion linkage is preferably arranged sothat the movement of one of its portions transverse the vehicle altersthe alignments of two other axle-bearing portions.

The parallel motion linkage may comprise fewer than the four thickersection portions necessary to form a parallelogram linkage provided thatthere are means for attaching more than one portion of the integrallymoulded member at more than one place to the vehicle.

According to another aspect of the invention therefore the integrallymoulded member comprises three connected thicker section portions, twoof which are substantially the same length and each have means forattaching them rotatably to the vehicle, and an axle for bearing awheel. This construction ensures that the two axle bearing portions movein proper correspondence, while reducing the quantity of material neededto make the member.

The means for attaching the member to the vehicle would in thisconstruction preferably be pins or holes which would engage suitablyspaced holes or pins in the vehicle.

The following is a description of two embodiments of the invention,reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded view from below of the steering mechanism andpart of the vericle to which it is to be attached;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view from below of the mechanism attached to the toyvehicle;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view from below of another arrangement of themechanism attached to the vehicle; and in which the same referencenumerals have been used when the same components occur in more than onefigure.

Referring to FIGURE 1, there is shown a member integrally moulded toform a parallelogram linkage which comprises a first horizontalcylindrical rod 11 provided at each end with a short vertical cylinder12 whose vertical axis intersects with the longitudinal axis of the rod11; a pair of rods 13 similar to but shorter than the rod 11 and eachprovided at their ends with cylinders 14, 15; and a fourth rod 16provided with cylinders 17 in a like manner to the first rod 11. Thecylinders at the ends of the rods are connected to their neighbours bythin strips of webbing 18 which extend the length of the tangent betweenadjacent cylinders and form hinged connections between them. In theembodiment described, the plane of the tangent between adjacentcylinders is perpendicular to the axis of the longer rod adjacent to oneof them. It would be possible to arrange for this plane to be at, forexample, forty-five degrees to the axis of the adjacent longer rodprovided that the four pairs of cylinders were likewise arranged.

From each of the cylinders 14 there extends a stub axle 19 horizontallyoutwards. The stub axles would normally each bear a wheel which is to besteered by the steering mechanism. Each stub axle is provided with acollar 20 adjacent the cylinder and a hub cap 21 which is to retain awheel on the axle. The hub cap 21 is moulded as part of the axle and thewheel forced over it when the vehicle is assembled, but itwould bepossible to form the hub cap by the simultaneous application of heat andpressure to the axle after the wheel has been placed on the axle. Eachof the rods is provided with a short cylinder 22, 23 which may be thesame diameter as the rods and which extends vertically upwards from therespective middle points of the rods. The purpose of these cylinders wilbe explained shortly.

FIGURE 1 also shows a view from underneath of part of the toy vehiclewhich is steered by the steering mechanism. This part of the chassiscomprises a flat plate or frame member 25 which may extend on eitherside of the section shown in a manner determined by the particulardesign of the rest of the vehicle. The plate has parallel sides 26, 27and a breadth therebetween equal to or slightly less than the distancebetween the axes of the cylinders 12. The steering mechanism 10 isattached to' the underside of the plate 25 by locating the cylinder 22in the circular hole 28 in the plate 25 equidistant from the edges 26and 27. such that the top surfaces of the cylinders 12 are in contactwith the underside of the plate 25, the cylinder 22 being, long enoughto protrude sufii: ciently above theupper surface of the plate 25 topermit a retaining cap to be formed on it by the application of heat andpressure simultaneously. The rod 11 is prevented from rotating by thepairs of projecting studs 29, 30 which may be moulded integrally withthe base and which are arranged to lie on both sides of the clyinders12.

The plate 25 is also provided with an arcuate slot 31 suitably spacedfrom the hole 28 and extending symmetrically on both sides of the centerline of the plate 25, with a smaller radius side 30 nearer to the hole28 and a larger radius side 31 having regular undulations 32 so that thecylinder 23 may be retained in a number of desired positionscorresponding to a desired degree of turn provided for the wheels by thesteering mechanism. The alignment of the wheels may thus be altered byaltering the location of the cylinder 23, the movement of the cylinder23 and the rod 16 transverse the vehicle being transmitted by theparallelogram linkage to the axles 19, as shown in FIGURE 2 which is aplan view of the mechanism and the base of the vehicle when the wheels33 are adjusted to provide a large degree of turn to the vehicle. FIGURE2 also shows that the axes of the axles 19 stay parallel whatever degreeof turn is applied to the mechanism, but are progressively separatedwith increasing turn, which is a good simulation of real- 3 ism. InFIGURE 2, the raised shoulders 34, 35 replace the studs 29, 30.

There are alternative methods of attaching the mechanism to the chassiswhich may be employed if they are more suitable than the one describedin the preferred embodiment. For instance, the cylinder 22 might bereplaced by a vertical hole made through the rod 11 which may engage avertical pin on the plate 25 or which may be attached to the plate by ascrew or rivet.

FIGURE 3 illustrates another emodiment of the invention in which theparallel motion linkage comprises an integrally molded member 310 havingtwo similar rods 313 connected to a rod 16 by cylinders 15 and 17 inexactly the same manner as are the rods 13 to the rod 16 by cylinders 15and 17 in FIGURE 1. The rods 313 each bear an axle 19 arranged to extendhorizontally from the cylinders 314. The cylinders 314 are each providedwith an upwardly extending pin (not shown) engaging a hole (not shown)in the plate 325 which forms the floor of the vehicle. The pins may havecaps formed by heat treatment on their ends to retain them in the holesin the plate 325, while permitting them to rotate about their verticalaxes.

The rod 16 bears a short, upwardly extending rod 23 which engages anarcuate slot 31 and is retained in a desired position by being locatedin one of the bays in the undulating side 32 as before. The steeringmechanism just described would be provided with a wheel on each of theaxles 19.

The cylinders 314 might be attached to the plate by any convenient meanswhich would allow them to rotate about their vertical axes. For example,cylinders 314 may be hollow and attached to the chassis by a rivet whichpasses through the corresponding hole in the plate 325 and through thecylinder 314, or by a vertical pin extending downwards from the plate325 to engage the cylinder 314.

I claim:

1. A steering mechanism for a toy vehicle comprising a frame member, alinkage, said linkage being molded as a single unit of resilientmaterial and including first and second rod portions each having an axleextending therefrom, a linking rod extending between an end of each ofsaid first and second rod portions and relatively thin webs of saidresilient material connecting said link- 4 ing rod to said first andsecond rod portions whereby to form hinged connections, and meanscooperating with said first and second rod portions and said framemember for rotatably mounting said linkage to said frame member andincluding means cooperating between said frame member and said linkingrod for retaining said linkage in any one of a plurality of preselectedpositions, said last named retaining means comprising an arcuate slot insaid frame member formed in a plane parallel to the movement of saidlinkage on rotation thereof, said arcuate slot having a plurality ofrecesses, and said linkage including a projecting portion adapted forselective engagement with said plurality of recesses.

2. A steering mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said projectingportion extends from said linking rod.

3. A steering mechanism for a toy vehicle comprising a frame member, alinkage, said linkage being molded as a single unit of resilientmaterial and including first and second rod portionseach having an axleextending therefrom, a linking rod extending between an end of each ofsaid first and second rod portions and relatively thin webs of saidresilient material connecting said link-' ing rod to said first andsecond rod portions whereby to form hinged connections, and meanscooperating with said first and second rod portions and said framemember for rotatably mounting said linkage to said frame member, whereinsaid last named means comprises a second linking rod extending betweenthe other end of each of said first and second rod portions andrelatively thin webs of said resilient material connecting said secondlinking rod to said first and second rod portions whereby to form hingedconnections, and means cooperating with said second linking rod and saidframe member for securing said second linking rod to said frame member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,182,211 5/1916Ross. 1,730,296 10/ 1929 Richter 46-221 1,791,070 2/1931 Coggon 46221 X2,245,875 6/ 1941 Rutherford 46-46 3,206,891 9/ 1965 Adamski 46-244 XFOREIGN PATENTS 21,806 9/ 1961 East Germany. 892,176 3/ 1962 GreatBritain. 615,814 1/1961 Italy.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS I. BOVASSO, Examiner.

1. A STEERING MECHANISM FOR A TOY VEHICLE COMPRISING A FRAME MEMBER, ALINKAGE, SAID LINKAGE BEING MOLDED AS A SINGLE UNIT OF RESILIENTMATERIAL AND INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND ROD PORTIONS EACH HAVING AN AXLEEXTENDING THEREFROM, A LINKING ROD EXTENDING BETWEEN AN END OF EACH OFSAID FIRST AND SECOND ROD PORTIONS AND RELATIVELY THIN WEBS OF SAIDRESILIENT MATERIAL CONNECTING SAID LINKING ROD TO SAID FIRST AND SECONDROD PORTIONS WHEREBY TO FORM HINGED CONNECTIONS, AND MEANS COOPERATINGWITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND ROD PORTIONS AND SAID FRAME MEMBER FORROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID LINKAGE TO SAID FRAME MEMBER AND INCLUDING MEANSCOOPERATING BETWEEN SAID FRAME MEMBER AND SAID LINKING ROD FOR RETAININGSAID LINKAGE IN ANY ONE OF A PLURALITY OF PRESELECTED POSITIONS, SAIDLAST NAMED RETAINING MEANS COMPRISING AN ARCUATE SLOT IN SAID FRAMEMEMBER FORMED IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID LINKAGE ONROTATION THEREOF, SAID ARCUATE SLOT HAVING A PLURALITY OF RECESSES, ANDSAID LINKAGE INCLUDING A PROJECTING PORTION ADAPTED FOR SELECTIVEENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PLURALITY OF RECESSES.